CHAPTER IV. 



THE EXPLORER'S RETURN TO CIVILIZATION. 



"I planted the stars and stripes in the ice field, and my heart grew 

 warm when I saw it wave in the wind." 



These were Dr. Cook's words when, on September 4, he arrived at Copen- 

 hagen, Denmark, to receive the greeting of a vast crowd and to be congratu- 

 lated by the king of that nation. 



"Let the skeptics who disbelieve my story go to the north pole. There 

 they will find a small brass tube which I buried under the flag." 



This was what he said when he learned that the truth of his statements 

 had been questioned. A storm of discussion, of sneers, and of disbelief was 

 raging in every nation. Scientists were wagging their heads. People were 

 divided into camps. And in the Danish capital the sun-browned hero of the 

 north calmly received callers and told them further incidents of his trip. 



"On April 21," he said, "we looked for the sun. As soon as we got it 

 I made several observations. Great joy came over us. We were only sixteen 

 miles from the desired spot. I said to myself, 'Bully for Frederick.' Then we 

 went on. 



"The last stretch was the easiest I ever made in my life, although I had 

 still to make two observations and the ice was broken. But my spirits were 

 high and I shouted like a boy. The Eskimos looked at one another surprised 

 at my gaiety. They did not share my joy. 



"I felt that I ought to be there. I made my last observation and found 

 that I was standing on the pole. 



"There is nothing to see there but ice; no water, only ice. There were 

 more holes there than at the eighty-seventh degree, which shows there is more 

 movement and drift there ; but this and other observations I made afterwards, 

 when I got more settled. I stopped two days at the pole, and I assure you, 

 it wasn't easy to say good-by to the spot. 



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